He was acquired for Theoren Fleury. He played 826 games for the Flames between 1999 and his 2011 departure to Buffalo. He won his first Stanley Cup this weekend, as the Los Angeles Kings beat the New York Rangers 3-2 in a thrilling double-OT Game 5.

If you skim the Flames franchise games-played leaders, the only player remaining in the top 10 that doesn't have a Cup win is the guy on top.

And I suppose Craig Conroy doesn't have a ring yet either...

Also, big congrats to the Jolly Rancher himself, Darryl Sutter, on his second Stanley Cup win in the past three years. He's every bit as good a coach as he was, at the end, a panicky and reactionary general manager.

Ryan Pike has covered the Calgary Flames since 2010. A Calgary native who writes for FlamesNation and The Hockey Writers, he's often at Flames games and practices, just trying to capture the spirit of the thing. Ask him about his Corsi.

He was also very unselfish, when he realized that the team needed to break up the old core he gave permission for his trade and this ultimately has allowed this team to move forward.
Sutter now has two cups as a coach; one has to wonder what would have happened here if he had stayed coaching and surrounded himself with more hockey people and allowed them to have a greater voice in the management and development of players.

I met Regehr once, just after the '04 playoffs. It was his brother's wedding (to my cousin), and I'm sure he had better things to do than talk hockey with some 17 year old kid, but he was super friendly and nice. He's been one of my favourites since then.

Congrats to Reg, it's too bad he got injured. I'm sure playing in the finals would have made it that much more rewarding. Darryl Sutter wins his second Stanley Cup in three years, he has more game 7 wins than both Scotty Bowman and Pat Burns. Excellent coach, he gets the max out of his players and the Kings won the Cup the hard way this time.

Also, I'm so happy to see Richards and St. Louis lose in the Cup Final, now they know how the Flames players felt back in '04. If Lecavalier was a Ranger the trifecta would have been complete. Looks like both Vinny and Richards are getting bought out in the off-season. Sweet justice at last!

He was also very unselfish, when he realized that the team needed to break up the old core he gave permission for his trade and this ultimately has allowed this team to move forward.
Sutter now has two cups as a coach; one has to wonder what would have happened here if he had stayed coaching and surrounded himself with more hockey people and allowed them to have a greater voice in the management and development of players.

I've thought that myself many times. From what I have heard it was ken king that wanted Daryl up in the gm spot. Had he kept him as coach and hired a good gm, I can imagine there would of been many more cup runs after 04.

I keep reading that Mike Richards might be bought out. This concept seems crazy to me. I understand that he had an off year and has a high salary, but wouldn't this be someone the flames could get for a decent price? He has been a #1 center for most his career. I would think this would be a perfect buy low situation and would give the flames a low end #1 center until monohan grows into the role.

Anyone else wish to comment on the speculation that the Flames offered Hudler, Backs, Wides and a second to Ottawa and were turned down(Spezza does not to play in Canada); if this is true can we please have Feaster back.

"For GM Bryan Murray to even try to convince Spezza to go Calgary, the Flames would also have to sweeten the pot because their offer falls short. The Flames are believed to be offering Jiri Hudler, Mikael Backlund, possibly Dennis Wideman and one of their several second and third-round picks."

"For GM Bryan Murray to even try to convince Spezza to go Calgary, the Flames would also have to sweeten the pot because their offer falls short. The Flames are believed to be offering Jiri Hudler, Mikael Backlund, possibly Dennis Wideman and one of their several second and third-round picks."

That trade doesn't make a lot of sense for the Flames. Spezza is a great center, to be sure, but he's 6 years older than Backlund. If Treliving made that trade, he'd have to think a cup-run was doable in the next 3-4 years. That's so bold it's probably insane.

"For GM Bryan Murray to even try to convince Spezza to go Calgary, the Flames would also have to sweeten the pot because their offer falls short. The Flames are believed to be offering Jiri Hudler, Mikael Backlund, possibly Dennis Wideman and one of their several second and third-round picks."

I like Mike Richards a lot, but he's not a #1 centre. He'd be a good 2C though. Run with him and Backlund in the top spots and you're solid up the middle and give Monahan another year or two of sheltering.

That Spezza rumour is pure garbage. Consider the source is Bruce "Malkin to the Kings" Garrioch, and that the moving pieces make no sense...

No thanks to any trade involving Backlund... he's in our top three of possesion players on the team, and will be a key piece to any succesful flames team.

Spezza puts up points for now but isn't a good possesion player.

If this trade happened this team would sink next year.

The more I look at Spezza's stats, the less I like this trade.

Three centers in Ottawa played tougher minutes than Spezza last season. Spezza was deployed as a finisher, not unlike the Sedin twins. He plays that role well, but he's not a guy you'd throw out against top competition. If the Flames brought him in and asked him to play Backlund's minutes he'd probably fall off a cliff.

So why is Ottawa asking for Backlund plus Hudler, Wideman and more? Spezza is a beloved franchise player and their captain to boot. That's a lot of value for the Sens that doesn't necessarily convert into value for the Flames. Really, this is a horrible trade for the Flames.

Kyle Turris is much closer in value to Backlund. He's from the same draft-class, has slightly worse possession stats and better point generation. I'd give the edge in value to Backlund (higher development potential), although that might just be home-team prejudice speaking. Still, Turris is clearly a better target than Spezza purely because he'll actually be a useful player for more than a few more years.

In short, Treliving should laugh at Ottawa's demands for Spezza and maybe kick the tires on Turris, although that's not a trade I personally like either.

LA is such a solid tough and skilled team. Cool and hardworking. They deserved it. Good for Regher and Sutter too!

NY was just hanging on thx to amazing goal tending from Lundquist. They could have gotten lucky on account of that, but LA was far superior. Found it interesting how slow Nash looked how so often there would be 3 Rangers defending behind their own net with Kings wide open in the slot. They were chasing a lot. The kings stuck to their system and wore out NY and their skill eventually beat Lundquist.

Conrats to Robyn Regehr, still one of the greatest players to ever wear the Flaming C, perhaps the best shutdown defenseman this team has ever known. Watching him carry the Cup around last night had me obviously reminiscing about '04 and what a force the guy was that spring. It also had me remembering the drama surrounding the Flames trading Fleury, and Regehr coming to Calgary. The Flames had sent Theo and Chris Dingman to Colorado, and gotten back Rene Corbet, Wade Belak, and a 2nd round pick (interestingly enough that pick ended up being Regehr's now Cup winning teammate and ex Oiler Jarret Stoll). Additionally, The Flames were allowed to pluck a player from the Av's extensive prospect pool. When word got out the team had narrowed that list down to Regehr and Martin Skoula, there was much debate about who the better prospect was at the time, and which player had better upside as they both appeared to be similar in style of play and future potential. It seemed the Flames would have to flip of the coin to decide, but they ultimately selected Robyn (I think we all would agree the team made the correct call). Then the car accident, the uncertainty about the hockey players future, the future of the team, the what-could-have-beens if Skoula had been chosen, etc etc. Thankfully Regehr recovered and his career culminated last night by lifting the ultimate prize over his head. Good for you Robyn.

We can all debate if Feaster got enough back for Regehr when he was shipped out for Butler, Byron and ultimately Seiloff, but I know personally I was seething at the time.

Also, I'm so happy to see Richards and St. Louis lose in the Cup Final, now they know how the Flames players felt back in '04. If Lecavalier was a Ranger the trifecta would have been complete. Looks like both Vinny and Richards are getting bought out in the off-season. Sweet justice at last!

Oh my god, imagine the stupidly large amount of money LeCavalier would make off of two buyouts and an NHL contract if that happened.

While we are apparently swinging for the fences on an aging, injury prone center on the downside of his career, Anaheim just picked up a former first round pick right winger from the Habs (Leblanc) for a song (5th round pick next year if he plays 15 games in the NHL). Low risk, potentially high reward - this is the type of trade smart teams make.

While we are apparently swinging for the fences on an aging, injury prone center on the downside of his career, Anaheim just picked up a former first round pick right winger from the Habs (Leblanc) for a song (5th round pick next year if he plays 15 games in the NHL). Low risk, potentially high reward - this is the type of trade smart teams make.

LeBlanc is 23 and has a NHLE of 14.4. Jankowski, Reinhart, Arnold, Granlund, and Corban Knight all have NHLE's over 20 and only Knight is as old as LeBlanc.

A fifth round pick buys you a long-shot. Given how the last few drafts have gone, the Flames might be better off spending their long-shots at the draft rather than picking up a guy who currently projects as a mediocre AHL'er.

LeBlanc is 23 and has a NHLE of 14.4. Jankowski, Reinhart, Arnold, Granlund, and Corban Knight all have NHLE's over 20 and only Knight is as old as LeBlanc.

A fifth round pick buys you a long-shot. Given how the last few drafts have gone, the Flames might be better off spending their long-shots at the draft rather than picking up a guy who currently projects as a mediocre AHL'er.

Hmmm. We are short of right wingers, Leblanc was buried on a goon line in Hamilton and Montreal has fewer roster openings than we do at the NHL level which made him expendable. The Ducks have a very deep prospect pool and could have picked him up on waivers post July 1st but chose to throw a potential 5th round pick at the Habs instead. I think I'll place my bets on the Ducks assessment of his talent over yours.

We are waiting, we are waiting a line from the civil rights movement seems appropriate for the Trevling/Burke tandem.

With two weeks before the draft and just over two weeks till free agency and what have they done. fired the AHL staff, been rumored to have offered outlandish amounts to move up or add older players and signed Wolf. Meanwhile we have only 1 goalie under contract and none of our RFA's have been signed. They will need to be busy over the next little while. I just wish something was happening so we could talk hockey and not just speculate.

While we are apparently swinging for the fences on an aging, injury prone center on the downside of his career, Anaheim just picked up a former first round pick right winger from the Habs (Leblanc) for a song (5th round pick next year if he plays 15 games in the NHL). Low risk, potentially high reward - this is the type of trade smart teams make.

You mean like when they traded a 4th for Knight and another 4th for Colborne?

I am not in any way disappointed the Flames didn't bite on Leblanc. I mean, a 5th isn't worth a lot, but Leblanc has done NOTHING since he was drafted. That's hardly a move with high-reward potential.

I think I'll place my bets on the Ducks assessment of his talent over yours.

The Ducks and Habs both thought Leblanc was worth a fully CONDITIONAL 5th rounder. That's hardly a ringing endorsement of his talent.

Just playing devil's advocate here (for the record I think a trade for Spezza is a terrible move if it includes Backlund and/or a pick). But there is some upside there in terms of getting rid of Wideman's contract and clearing a roster spot at LW for a Baertschi or a Gaudreau etc... Still doesn't tip the scales in our favor though.

First of all, no to backland. Next, how do we replace the salary of Whideman? If it includes all the other guys... Plus, this would give an indication of when to expect to be competitive again and signalle the end or almost end of a rebuild, not?

I think it's obvious that Spezza has ZERO interest in coming here even if the Sen's loved that package.Burke and Treliving know this. I think this is more a case of BB and BT letting everyone know what pieces are available from the flames before the draft by letting the media make the calls for him..

The deal is out to lunch on all levels. Replacing Spezza for Hudler, Wideman & Backlund will only make the Flames that much worse & that much further away from the Cap floor. Top that with Sens do not want to spend money & the fact Spezza actual $$$ are 4.0 mill with a $7.0 mill cap hit, they are better off trading him at the TDL. It's a silly silly rumour. I don't mind adding 1 or 2 years of an ugly contract to obtain a worthwhile asset, like Glencross for Lecalvier & their 1st rounder. I'd rather see that than throw stupid money at a UFA.

I met Reggie on a couple of occasions and his conduct off the ice was exemplary. He was a golf partner for my son and I at one of the Flames tourny's. When we saw him a year later at the same tournament he went out of his way to come say hello and chat for a bit. My son still talks about how special he made him feel on both occasions and regularly wears a jersey to the games with his name on the back of it.

Congrats to Reggie on his cup win and proving he could still be a decent player in the right role. Too bad he got injured and couldn't play a game in the final series.